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Newsroom
5 hours ago
- Business
- Newsroom
Govt set to announce special development deal with one city
The Government is on the cusp of declaring its first 'city and regional deal' to unlock growth potential around one major centre – most likely to be Tauranga. It hopes a deal can be a game-changer for the western Bay of Plenty region. Two other centres, almost certainly to include Auckland and possibly Queenstown, are likely to be announced as next off the rank, priority deals to be negotiated through 2026. Cabinet reportedly scrutinised on Monday officials' assessments of cities' so-called 'light-touch proposals', or applications for the unique central government-local government funding and planning deals for roads, housing and infrastructure. A first, signed memorandum of understanding, to underline the coalition Government's commitment to 'going for growth,' had been listed in its latest quarterly action plan ending June 30, next Monday. In February, cities and regions submitted their bids for the special government treatment, which could mimic some of the principles followed most famously by the UK government with Manchester. Applicants had been urged to put forward up to five priority projects in their area that would unlock economic growth. The expected deals would be long-term commitments by those cities, having consulted their private sector and local iwi, to pursue development that also meets central government goals. While guidelines from the Internal Affairs Department to potential applicants said deals should rely on existing resources, rather than new funding, they said the agreements would set out a framework of how new funding could be used when available. So Tauranga, which those close to the process expect to have made a compelling case for Wellington backing given its population, housing and transport growth, would not be in for an initial financial windfall In March, the two ministers leading the policy, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts, said it was 'designed to help reduce New Zealand's infrastructure deficit through unlocking productivity, attracting investment and improving connectivity across the country. 'Delivering a joint long-term vision for regions will ensure they remain focused on delivering what matters most to ratepayers, including critical infrastructure like housing and transport.' Watts said successful councils would need to show how each initiative would match other government priorities such as the Local Water Done Well reforms of water services. One of the features of the deals will be that central and local government budgets and investment strategies will be synchronised to maximise the impact of resources. Committee for Auckland director Mark Thomas wrote for Newsroom at the start of this government's term that more than 30 city deals were operating in the UK – some focused beyond infrastructure and housing. Edinburgh, for example, had struck a $600m innovation city deal with the Scottish and UK governments to accelerate productivity and growth by funding data-driven innovation, research, development and technology hubs. In Australia 12 city deals were already in operation when our coalition Government took office, covering urban priorities from transport infrastructure, entertainment centres and stadiums to workforce development. Thomas says 'city deals need guaranteed funding arrangements to be credible and innovative arrangements involving the private sector can play an important part.' The Internal Affairs guidelines required an initial 10-year strategic plan with 'clear outcomes and actions required to achieve them' and there had to be a 30-year vision for the region. Auckland councillors were tipped by their chief executive Phil Wilson at their monthly meeting on Thursday to expect to hear the Government's city deal news next week. Chris Bishop's office did not address Newsroom's questions over whether the Cabinet had considered the city and regional deal assessments last Monday, or if one would be announced next week. It offered seven timeless words of deflection: 'Ministers will make announcements in due course.' The Tauranga-based bid was in the name of three councils, Tauranga City, the Western Bay of Plenty District and the Bay of Plenty Region and developed with iwi and the area's economic development agency Priority One. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said: 'Government has done a great job of signalling investment in the region through the Roads of National Significance programme, and now we want to build on that initiative to deliver growth in core infrastructure that will enable 40,000 additional homes and unleash jobs and economic growth.' Regional council chair Doug Leeder said another key component of the deal would be to enable increased exports and export income for New Zealand via the Port of Tauranga. The bid proposal listed three priorities: 1. Deliver the Western and Northern Corridors with major roading projects – Tauriko Network Connections and Takitimu North Stage 2, enabling housing and industrial land development. 2. Develop the Eastern Corridor by unlocking key land development projects; Te Tumu, Rangiuru and Te Kāinga. 3. Enable exports, resilience and decarbonisation of freight led by the Connecting Mount Maunganui project. The committee for Auckland's Mark Thomas told Newsroom the Auckland proposal was also strong. 'The Auckland deal has been put together with high-level private and public sector and iwi involvement and is a quality product. 'Two years of State of the City reports on Auckland have confirmed a long-term partnership, like a regional deal, between Auckland and Government is the only way to address the systemic and long-standing issues impacting Auckland's performance such as our low peer innovation performance, our skills deficits, and underinvestment in transport.'
Scoop
a day ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
Driver Licencing Wait Times Shortest Yet
Minister of Transport The Government's work to deliver better public services for New Zealanders is paying dividends for people working to gain their driver licence, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. 'National average wait times are now just four days for a full licence test and seven days for a restricted licence test, down from a peak of up to 90 days in some regions,' Mr Bishop says. 'At one point in 2024, we saw wait times get as high as 90 days in some regions, with a backlog of over 80,000 people applying to sit their licence tests at one point. 'These unacceptable wait times were the result of the previous government's decision to remove re-sit fees for theory and practical tests in 2023. This led to people not preparing properly for their tests, no shows, and people failing. These people simply went back in line to re-sit their test again and again. 'The Government took decisive action to reduce wait times. We introduced a limit of one free re-sit for Class 1 driver licence tests, removed free re-sits for overseas licence conversions, and temporarily extended the amount of time people can drive on their overseas licence from 12 months to 18 months. 'NZTA and VTNZ have also recruited and trained more than 70 new Driver Testing Officers, introduced new temporary testing sites, and extended testing site hours in some regions. Text alerts were also introduced to remind people of their driving test and ensure they turn up on the day. 'Wait times are continuing to be monitored closely, and if they increase at individual testing sites NZTA will work with testing agents to bring them down. 'We have delivered on our promise to bring wait times down, creating a more efficient licensing system that contributes to road safety. 'I also encourage anyone preparing for their test to check out the free resources available on the Drive website. Developed by NZTA and ACC, Drive is an official resource designed to help learner drivers and those teaching others how to drive. 'A driver licence can unlock many opportunities for a person and improve access to employment. We want to make sure we're removing barriers and keeping people safe on our roads.'
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Housing makes 'a lot of sense' close to new Auckland train stations
Housing Minister Chris Bishop Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Requirements for housing densification around City Rail Link stations are about future-proofing Auckland for the next 20 to 30 years, the Minister for Housing and for Resource Management Act Reform says. The government will require Auckland Council to allow apartments of at least 15 storeys around the Mount Eden, Kingsland, and Morningside Stations, and 10 storeys around the Mount Albert and Baldwin Avenue stations. Originally, the plan was for six-storey buildings, however, Chris Bishop says the new directive from the government is supported by Auckland mayor Wayne Brown and most councillors. The changes will be part of a Resource Management Act amendment bill. Bishop told Morning Report it would take some time to build the developments, but it made sense to ensure residential and commercial development was possible around those key train stations. "We're building a $5 billion rapid transit rail link in Auckland. We should have some development, mixed use apartments and commercial, by the train stations. "I think that makes a lot of sense." North Shore councillor Richard Hills said the government's directive to allow 15-storey apartments near train stations won't transform the city overnight. He told Morning Report that council was moving in that direction anyway. High rise developments took a long time and would develop slowly over many years. Hills believed the directive would lead to more housing and more people near transport infrastructure. The blocks would be built within 800 metres to 1200 metres or a 10-minute walk from each station, he said. Meanwhile, leaky hospitals, rotting schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, and outages on ferries and commuter rail - those are some of the problems laid bare by the Infrastructure Commission in its first report into the state of the country's assets. It's found New Zealand is spending lots of money on infrastructure but getting little back out of it. Bishop said the report made for a "sobering" read. "We don't get a lot of bang for buck. In fact, the commission says we're in the bottom 10 percent in the OECD for value for money." It was a problem stretching back up to 30 years. The need for long-term asset registers and maintenance plans and looking after the infrastructure the country had rather than building new things had been identified years ago, he said. He was determined to change the system, particularly at central government level. Health was a classic example. Uniting the district health boards was a good move by the Labour government because it would help identify what they owned and the condition those buildings were in. "Half of government agencies don't have an asset register - it's pretty depressing." It would soon be a legal requirement. He was keen for a bipartisan approach not only to a projects pipeline but also for legislation changes in the resource management area. He said there were 1400 different zones around the country and these would be reduced drastically. "Getting the system right is a fundamental paramount importance and that's what this government is up for." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
'Once-in-a-generation' National Infrastructure Plan sets vision for next 30 years
The draft National Infrastructure Plan is challenging the government to "lift its game" on project planning, saying it has often been "short-term and reactive". The strategy has been developed by the infrastructure commission, Te Waihanga, laying out the key areas in need of attention over the next three decades. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop acknowledged the invocation and said the recommendations aligned with the government's priorities. Bishop cited the proposed shift towards user-pays, spatial planning, and better asset management and maintenance. "The government is determined to improve New Zealand's infrastructure system and to work alongside the industry and other political parties to establish a broad consensus about what needs to change," he said. The commission's chief executive Geoff Cooper said New Zealand spent a greater percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) on infrastructure compared to other high-income countries, but was in the bottom 10 percent for the value from that spend. "To ensure New Zealanders are getting the infrastructure services they need, it's critical that we get smarter about how we invest," he said. "A National Infrastructure Plan can help, showing where our infrastructure dollar will have the greatest impact in meeting New Zealand's future needs." The plan contains a "Priorities Programme List" of 17 projects, six of which relate to the Defence Force. As well, it endorses the upgrade of the Reserve Bank's cash centre and vault, and the redevelopment of Hawke's Bay Regional Prison. The commission said more investment would be needed over the next three decades in hospitals and electricity, while changes would be required in land transport investment. The draft plan laid out a litany of problems with the existing approach, including that infrastructure projects were announced before establishing whether they were affordable or achievable. "Half of the large projects seeking funding through central government's annual Budget lack business cases to demonstrate that they're ready to fund. "Maintenance funds, which should provide a steady, ongoing stream of work, may get diverted to new builds. Consequently, efforts to recruit, develop, and retain a skilled workforce are stretched" It said New Zealand needed to get smarter about infrastructure planning, and suggested easing the regulatory environment or taking a "more commercial approach". "It's time to start fixing up our essential infrastructure assets, rather than seeing them breaking under our feet because we didn't set aside money for maintenance. "It's time to invest in infrastructure that will lift our productivity and cut our carbon emissions. "It's time to do new projects right, rather than dreaming big and seeing them constantly delayed, rescoped, and cancelled because they're too big for us to afford." The plan will now go out for consultation with a final version to be published by the end of the year. Speaking at a symposium at Parliament on Wednesday morning, Bishop said the independent plan would succeed only if it was accepted and adopted by successive governments. "This is not the... coalition government's plan, this is New Zealand's plan. We will all be better off if we follow its recommendations," Bishop said. He also use his speech to take a whack at "14 laggard councils" which had not yet lodged bids with the infrastructure pipeline. "I'm going to be writing to them, saying that they need to get on board," Bishop said. "My own view is we do need to get away from the rhetoric of needing a bipartisan pipeline, and instead we need to start talking about building bipartisan consensus on the idea that governments of all flavours should use best-practice to plan, select, fund and finance, deliver, and look after our infrastructure." Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett described the plan as a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity. "The draft Plan is a clear-eyed assessment of the infrastructure challenges facing New Zealand, our historic under-performance and provides a solid pathway for improvement, particularly from our government agencies," he said. "If we don't face up to this now, there will be real pain for our future generations." Leggett said the association particularly supported the design of a "steady project pipeline" to allow providers to invest in their workforce. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the plan was a welcome contribution. "If we can agree some shared priorities, we can avoid this flip-flopping cycle where everything just takes too long and costs too much." Hipkins expected there were some assumptions in the plan that would be tested over the consultation process, and there would still be some debate over who pays for what. "Even in transport, we have partial user-pays for public transport at the moment. There's probably going to be some differences between Labour and National, in particular about where we think the balance of that should rest."
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
City Rail Link: Govt clears way for taller buildings around stations
The area around the forthcoming CRL stations will have greater housing and development under new government rules. Photo: Supplied The government will force Auckland Council to allow apartments of at least 15 storeys around three key train stations - more than double the six storeys first required. The City Rail Link (CRL) is nearing completion and will have four new stations, two in the city centre, one near Karangahape Road and one in Mt Eden. Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown today said the government will require Auckland to allow even greater housing and development around CRL stations. "The City Rail Link is a game-changing investment in the future of Auckland. It will unlock significant economic opportunity, but only if we have a planning system to allow businesses and residents to take advantage of it," Brown said. "City Rail Link is a more than $5 billion investment in Auckland's continued growth. Enabling greater housing intensification along this corridor will help us maximise the benefits of this investment and provide more homes in a city geared up for growth." It follows a recent announcement that the council and government had reached an agreement to free up more land for housing, particularly around key train stations. The Resource Management (Consenting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill allows Auckland Council to withdraw its intensification plan change, PC78, with a requirement to notify a new plan change by 10 October this year - the upzoning announced today will be included in that. The Bill requires Auckland to allow for greater density around the key stations of Maungawhau (Mt Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside. Bishop said currently the council has to allow a minimum six storeys around these stations. "The government has decided that these requirements, while a step forward, don't go far enough." He said the government will move an amendment to the Bill at the Committee of the Whole House stage, which will: Bishop said it was important to unlock housing capacity around public transport in Auckland. "Both Mt Albert and Baldwin stations are ripe for development, sitting close to Unitec's campus and Mt Albert's popular shops and cafes. Increasing development capacity in the area will allow for more commuters and more students to live close to the stations, adding vibrance to these suburbs. The council recently approved a zoning change for the city centre to allow unlimited building heights for a small section of the central business district and double height limits for the rest of the city centre to 20 storeys, or 72.5 metres. It expects that will allow four times the number of homes and businesses to be built in the central city . Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said once the Bill is passed, the council will get on with allowing intensification. "We've now fixed the city centre and rapid transport corridors, and I look forward to working with the government to make sure we deliver growth in the right places for the rest of the region," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
